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HHS Mandate's 'Safe Harbor' Requirement Revised
Regulation has now been changed to include those that accept certain elements of the coverage while objecting to others. But it's still only a 12-month reprieve.
A slight revision of the federal contraception mandate offers some additional protection for certain religious employers but is not sufficient to ease religious-freedom concerns, said a lawyer who is working to challenge the mandate in court.
Hannah Smith, senior counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, told EWTN News on Aug. 27 that the Obama administration is governing by "sloppy executive fiat" and is failing to address the underlying problem with the controversial mandate.
She explained that for the third time in seven months, the federal government has rewritten the guidelines for the "safe harbor" provision that offers a one-year reprieve from the mandate to some nonprofit religious organizations that object to its demands.
"They're making it up as they go along," she said. "They haven't really thought through these issues carefully."
The Becket Fund is representing Wheaton College, a Christian liberal arts college in Illinois, in a lawsuit challenging the mandate. The controversial rule requires employers to offer health insurance that covers contraception, sterilization and early abortion drugs, even if doing so violates their consciences.
Wheaton College argued that the mandate violated its religious freedom and filed for a preliminary injunction preventing its enforcement.
As a result, the federal government changed the safe-harbor requirements, allowing Wheaton College to qualify for the temporary delay in the mandate.
Smith observed that the safe harbor, as it had previously been written, did not apply to Wheaton. The Christian college does not object to all forms of contraception, but only to products that cause early abortions, she said.
Initially, the safe harbor did not apply to employers that offered coverage of some contraceptives, she explained, but that regulation has now been changed to include those that accept certain elements of the coverage while objecting to others.
In addition, she said, Wheaton College was originally disqualified from the exemption because it had offered coverage of the products it objected to after Feb. 10, which was the deadline by which employers must discontinue the coverage in order to qualify for the reprieve.
Smith explained that coverage of early abortion drugs Ella and Plan B had been "inadvertently and unknowingly included in the plans," and when administrators discovered it, they immediately began working with the college's insurance company to remove the coverage. This process was not completed until March.
The federal government has now decided that because the college had "made efforts" to remove the coverage before Feb. 10, it can qualify for the safe harbor, she said.
But although the new regulation offers some protection to Wheaton College, it is "not a complete victory," Smith cautioned.
She explained that the safe harbor is merely a 12-month "delay tactic" that will postpone "the inevitable conflict that will arise" between government and religious organizations that object to the mandate.
In addition, she said, Wheaton College is not entirely protected over the next year, because employees can still file private lawsuits trying to force the college to adhere to the mandate.
After the new regulations for the safe harbor were announced, Wheaton's lawsuit was dismissed as premature in a court decision that pointed to the administration's promised "accommodation" for religious freedom, she noted.
But the accommodation proposals put forward by the administration "are not satisfactory to religious institutions" and do not adequately address concerns of religious freedom, Smith stated.
She said that the Becket Fund will be carefully assessing options and following possible developments with the administration's proposed "accommodation" to determine what further legal action may be necessary.


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Lexar Media Now Shipping the Industry's First 128GB and 64GB 133x SDXC Professional SDXC Memory Card It offers read/write speeds of 20MB/s. Recommended retail price of $329.99, is for sale alongside the $199.99 64GB version.
Buy 128 GB card from Amazon || Buy 64GB card from Amazon
press release
128GB and 64GB SDXC Cards Enable Capture of High-Resolution Images and HD Video on Compatible Devices
Fremont, CA, March 15, 2011 – Lexar Media, a leading global provider of memory products for digital media, today announced it is now shipping the Lexar® Professional Secure Digital Extended Capacity (SDXC) 133x memory card in capacities of 128GB, an industry first, and 64GB. The Lexar Professional SDXC cards are available in B&H Photo and Video, and Adorama Camera stores across the U.S, as well as on www.lexar.com.
These large capacities make Lexar Professional 133x SDXC cards an excellent choice for shooting continuous, rapid-fire images and extended lengths of 1080p high-definition (HD) video on a single, high-performance solution. Also, the Professional SDXC cards offer a Class 10 speed rating with a minimum guaranteed speed of 133x, or 20MB per second, and accelerate professional workflow by quickly transferring high-resolution images and HD video from the memory card to the computer when paired with an SDXC-enabled card reader, such as the Lexar Multi-Card 24-in-1 USB Reader.
"We saw a demand for a professional card that would allow photographers to not only capture more high-resolution images and HD video, but to also take advantage of the full capabilities of their high-performance digital SLRs and camcorders," said Pachi Chen-Wong, senior product marketing manager, Lexar Media. "With the new Lexar Professional SDXC cards, we developed a product that will enhance the professional photography workflow. With capacities of 64GB and 128GB, photographers can capture, store and transfer more images and HD video in one place than ever before."
The Lexar Professional 133x SDXC memory cards include the latest version of award-winning Image Rescue® software to help recover lost or deleted photo and video files. All Lexar product designs are tested in the Lexar Quality Labs, a group of facilities where all Lexar product designs undergo extensive testing to ensure performance, quality, compatibility, and reliability with more than 800 intended digital devices.
The Lexar Professional SDXC cards include a limited lifetime warranty and free, dedicated professional technical support. The 64GB and 128GB Lexar Professional SDXC memory cards are available now at B&H Photo and Video, Adorama Camera and on Lexar.com, with MSRPs of $199.99 and $329.99 respectively.

subset: commoncrawl


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He's managed to play just about everyone else — so why not have Benedict Cumberbatch play the Joker? He'd probably be pretty amazing, and a worthy successor to Ledger, Nicholson and Hamill.
This fan art comes from concept artist Alex Tuis, whose work on various movies we've featured before. (Via Comic Book Movie.)
And here's Tuis' art of various stars playing Marvel superheroes. Including Bruce Lee as Spider-Man, Arnold Schwarznegger as Colossus, and Rutger Hauer as Thor. More at the link.
G/O Media may get a commission


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|Do I need a License?
Do I Need a License?
US wildlife rehabilitators must hold permits or licenses from the state and federal governments. Other permits from local agencies also may be necessary. If you work with a licensed rehabilitator or in a licensed facility, you may not need your own license or permit. Ask specifically if you need a permit for what the facility wants you to do, such as a transport permit or a permit to take orphaned wildlife home on weekends. Requirements vary from state to state: you are responsible for making sure your activities are legal. If you need to contact the permitting agencies, look for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Permit Section regional office and the state agency that manages wildlife, such as a Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Conservation, Fish and Game, etc., Call and ask specifically for the wildlife permit officer or check the state website for details.
In Canada, licensing varies from province to province. For rehabilitating migratory birds, contact the provincial office of the Canadian Wildlife Service, (Federal) Ministry of the Environment. For other wildlife species, contact the appropriate provincial ministry department.
Are there both state and national regulations?
Yes. The US Fish & Wildlife Service is responsible for migratory birds and federally threatened and endangered wildlife throughout the United States. The Service has printed regulations and permits pertaining to different activities, such as rehabilitation, involving these animals. Ask US Fish & Wildlife to send the appropriate rules or visit the website.
Regulations and other requirements for becoming a wildlife rehabilitator varies from state to state. Each state agency is responsible for non-migratory birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and state threatened and endangered wildlife. Request your state agency's wildlife rehabilitation regulations.
Return to Careers in Wildlife Rehabilitation
8/1/2020 » 11/1/2020
Scholarship Application Deadline
8/1/2020 » 11/1/2020
NWRA Awards Deadline


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Blocked Drains Stokenchurch Local Drain Company
Welcome to our Drain Gain In Stokenchurch Page. Blocked drains Stokenchurch unblocked fast. Local company with many years in drain unblocking. Dedicated small team of professionals. Here at Drain Gain we have been unblocking and clearing drains in Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire for many years. We love unblocking your drains in Stokenchurch and we are sure you will love the service we provide. Proud members of Checkatrade and the national association of drainage contractors, not to forget our engineers are registered with the WJA. You can rest assured we know what we are doing. So from blocked drains and drain clearance along with blocked sinks,toilets,baths and showers. We have it covered. Why not give us a call for a friendly reliable service.
We can unblock main drains including toilets and gullies. You name it and we can clear it. We will get straight to the problem of all blocked drains and clear your Stokenchurch Clogged drains fast.
Drain Survey Stokenchurch
Drain Surveys provided in Stokenchurch. Problems with your drains blocking ? Constant blocked drains normally indicate a fault with your drains. Having them unblocked regularly can be costly. We provide a fantastic drain survey service. We can identify the problem with a drain camera survey. Thinking of buying a house ? then we recommend you would be wise to have a Pre Purchase Drain Survey carried out. Underlying problems with drains can be expensive to repair. Be one step ahead and have peace of mind by letting us provide this service. Domestic or commercial drain surveys provided by our dedicated small team of fully trained engineers. Here is what we found in one of the drains we surveyed. Click here
Grease Traps and Fat Traps and washing machine blocked.
Grease traps and fat traps emptied in Stokenchurch,here at Stokenchurch Blocked drains we know how to empty grease traps and fat traps. Our dedicated tanker is ready to empty your grease and fat traps. Grease and fat blockages are common in domestic and commercial drains, drains clog up over time from the deposits when washing up in your sink. Clogged drains lead to blockages. Washing machine blockages are caused from the deposits pumped in to your drains when the washing machine empties. From blockages to emptying here at Drain Gain Stokenchurch drains we have it covered.
Back to service area page


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|Mewtwo has chosen Hstar to be Featured User!
About Me
"Like a Celebi she brings Peace and Harmony to all Pokémon."
Hi I'm Hstar. Before I explain about myself let me give you an anecdote. I came on this Wiki ages and ages ago because at that age (conveniently the age of a Pokemon Trainer starting off) I had a huge interest in Anime and Pokemon. So I came on this Wiki with a goal to complete every Episode Page, I started off with the Indigo League all on my own with Admin's clearing up any mistakes I made. Then my skills grew over time and I became an Admin myself and people now respect me as a member. I then requested Project Anime to be made as many other projects were being made at that time. I also minorly helped with some Anime Templates and giving my thoughts on them - but the credit goes to the people that made them. I now have a Team of Members who edit anything and everything Anime related whilst I'm away doing my GCSEs because I'm all grown up now compared to when I first started! :P
I do most of my work on the Episode Guide, Episodes and Movies but that doesn't mean I don't edit other things. Please let me know on my talk page if you see any problems based on the Pokemon Anime sections and I will sort it out as soon as possible. Also let me know if you create any new Episode pages so that I can link them to the Episode Guide so they can be seen and recognised. Oh and by the way if you've left a message on my talk page about the actual Episode Guide Page and I haven't taken action make sure that if you send something like that also send it to admins or members of Project Anime. I own a DS Lite and a Wii. I have the following Pokemon Games: Diamond, Ranger: Shadows of Almia, Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time, Pokemon Platinum, Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky and HeartGold.
Badges I used to have and other related awards: I've been voted User of the Month March 2011 which is nice to know, because it shows people recognise me. I've also earnt the Lucky 23,000, 40,000 and 41,000 edits on this wiki (I've always hoped to make a lucky edit) I was the first to earn the Dedicated Badge for coming on the Wiki for 60 days straight. I've now got the 100 Day badge - Addicted and I plan to be the first to get the 200 Day Wiki for Life Badge!
Chief Editor of the Anime Department
I am so very lucky to have been promoted by Evanf to Chief Editor of the Anime Department! This does not happen often, so whenever someone needs help in an Project Anime Article, you'll directed to me!! So if you have any issues to do with Anime feel free to leave a note on my talk page and I'll have it sorted in a jiffy! Hstar 13:23, January 20, 2011 (UTC)
My contributions
My favorite pages
Pages I've created
I don't really count or remember pages I've created but I'm 100% sure I've created most if not 80% of the episodes. Apart from that just look at the pages I follow because I always follow something I've created and I follow other things. I created Shooti.
Edit Count
To add up how many edits I have added all the Number's in the Pokemon Column except Talk, User, User talk, User Blog and User Blog comment because they're not edits for the wiki, they're for commenting and editing your profile so they don't really count. If you'd like me to put an edit count on your profile, just ask.
Do not copy from them but here are some resources I use which help me to edit articles
- Serebii
- Marriland
- Bulbapedia
- Official Pokemon Websites
- Filb
- pocketmonsters
Movies that I've seen. (In the order I saw them, not the order they came out)
Because I'm nice and you love the Anime here are some links where you can watch Pokémon. Copy and paste the URLs.
- For the home page http://pokemonepisode.org/
- Indigo League Episodes http://pokemonepisode.org/watch/season-1-indigo-league/
- Orange Islands Episodes http://pokemonepisode.org/watch/season-2-the-orange-island-league/
- Johto Journeys Episodes http://pokemonepisode.org/watch/season-3-the-johto-journeys/
- Johto League Champions Episodes http://pokemonepisode.org/watch/season-4-johto-league-champions/
- Master Quest Episodes http://pokemonepisode.org/watch/season-5-master-quest/
- Advanced Episodes http://pokemonepisode.org/watch/season-6-advanced/
- Advanced Challenge Episodes http://pokemonepisode.org/watch/season-7-advanced-challenge/
- Advanced Battle Episodes http://pokemonepisode.org/watch/season-8-advanced-battle/
- Battle Frontier Episodes http://pokemonepisode.org/watch/season-9-battle-frontier/
- Diamond and Pearl Episodes http://pokemonepisode.org/watch/season-10-diamond-and-pearl/
- Battle Dimension Episodes http://pokemonepisode.org/watch/season-11-diamond-and-pearl-battle-dimension/
- Galactic Battles Episodes http://pokemonepisode.org/watch/season-12-diamond-and-pearl-galactic-battles/
- Sinnoh League Victors Episodes http://pokemonepisode.org/watch/season-13-diamond-and-pearl-sinnoh-league-victors/
- Black and White Episodes http://pokemonepisode.org/watch/season-14-black-and-white/
- For Movies 001 - 013 http://pokemonepisode.org/pokemon-movie-stream/
- For The Chronicles and Specials http://animeready.com/anime/completed/pokemon-chronicles/
Hstar's Recommended Websites
- http://pokemonepisode.org/
- http://animeready.com/anime/ongoing/pokemon-14/ (Unfortunately Anime Ready doesn't do a list it does lists of each season on individual pages - luckily to avoid posting loads of links here's a neat tip - see the bit of the URL that says pokemon-14 ? Well that number represents the season so all you have to do is change the number to the season you wanna watch e.g. pokemon-1 is Season 1 The Indigo League. I've already posted the link to the chronicles above but it's exactly the same except replace the number with the word chronicles so it's pokemon-chronicles )
- http://www.pokemon-download.net/pocket-monsters-diamond-and-pearl/diamond-and-pearl-galactic-battles/pokemon-galactic-battles-episode-1-get-your-rotom-running/ (Doesn't have every season)
- http://www.animefreak.tv/watch/pokemon-episode-1-online (Doesn't have every season)
My Friends on this Wiki
|Hstar's Usertags.


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Dear friends,
I don't know if you follow sports enough to catch the uproar over Colin Kaepernick's protest against police brutality. Kaepernick is a football quarterback playing for the San Francisco Forty Niners. He's not great but he generates attention because he began his career so quickly and dramatically. He's young and earnest and a little impulsive –like many young people.
During the playing of the National Anthem, Kaepernick continued to kneel while his teammates stood at attention. He did so quietly, with little fanfare. To me, this gesture did not seem very confrontational but the press made a big deal of it.. Gradually, others have either followed his example or tried other ways to stand for the rights of young Black men, like linking arms or raising their right fists the way that Tommy Smith did in the 1968 Olympics. Stephen Ross, the billionaire owner of the Miami Dolphins, among an increasing group of people across American, have joined in common cause with the protesters.
But the general reaction to Kkaepernick's protest has been negative. Throughout the country, innumerable politicians, business owners and countless others have offered their often heated objections to Kaepernick's gesture. The public conversation has not focused on police brutality or equal rights. It has focused, instead, on Kaepernick's right to protest versus the "disrespect" he has shown to a patriotic American ritual, the National Anthem. The challenge to his right has been stunning to me, considering all of the abusive, massively disrespectful behavior we see in local, state, and national politics. Compare Kaepernick's behavior to Trump and the outrageous, fact-free Birther challenge to Barak Obama's presidential legitimacy. And this is but one sign of disrespect to the dignity of our highest office. Why should Kaepernick be held to a different standard than the politicians. In fact, his "protest" was relatively respectful.
On the other hand, the objections that have filled sports pages of newspapers, have, paradoxically, added great fuel to athletes' desire to protest. There seems to be a little movement building. For better or worse, athletes are in the limelight and have some power to influence their fans. Since so many of these athletes are people of color and have managed to 'rise' in one of the arenas most open to them, why shouldn't they be able to use their success in the service of their values? Business people certainly do.
New York Times columnist David Brooks addressed this issue in his September 16th column. I found the article smug and misguided and wrote a Letter to the Editor in response. Given the substantial response that Brooks' article received, there seems little likelihood that mine will be published. So I decided to send it to you in the form of a mini-blog post. This version is slightly changed just in case The Times does publish it. I hope you like it.
David Brooks' invocation of American civic religion, "The Uses of Patriotism," runs much too close to the 1960's condemnation of Vietnam War protesters. "Love it or leave it" was the sanctimonious and divisive cry. Why can't we love it and protest when our country does not live to its values? The right to protest is baked into the American tradition and the American Constitution, which guarantees the freedom of assembly, association, and speech. The Boston Tea Party, a disrespectful protest of British taxation, helped precipitate the Revolutionary War. In my view, we honor our nation by continuing practices that led to its formation and that guarantee the values on which it stands.
Brooks, himself, notes that "Every significant American reform movement was shaped by" self-criticism. Protest is self-criticism in protean form. Should we not have protested slavery when it was sanctioned by the Founding Fathers and enshrined in the Constitution? How about the absence of women's suffrage and discriminatory housing practices that have made it hard for every group of immigrants, from the Irish to the Latinos, to buy their own homes? Almost all of America's great social and economic achievements have come on the back of protest.
Every protest is met with resistance and disdain, as though they don't fit in polite society. I have written, myself, in favor of a more dignified and restrained presidential politics. (https://barrydym.wordpress.com/2016/08/26/a-call-for-a-more-dignified-and-restrained-presidential-politics/); and I find the current lying, name-calling, and bullying vile. But, Brooks wants to sanitize protest too much. He should know that self-criticism is inevitably messy and upsetting; and it does call into question the culture and values of the ruling classes. In fact, protest, by its nature, arises outside of the halls of power. It is the means taken by people who lack the institutional power to enact change through formal governmental channels. In Thursday's column, Brooks stands with those ruling classes and against the very tradition at whose shrine he asks us to worship.
We must stand with the original Tea Partiers, with the Abolitionists and the Suffragettes, with Martin Luther King, Jr., and his call for nonviolent protest, and with all who seek to highlight the need for changes in law and public behavior—even when they are irreverent. Irreverence towards one set of "values"—standing for the National Anthem—often signals reverence for another set. In this case, the more hallowed statement of values comes in both the right of free speech and in equal protection under the law, as it is assured by the 14th Amendment. I believe that we should be proud of young people who speak up in this way.


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Settlement reached in Charla Nash Connecticut chimp attack lawsuit
HARTFORD -- Lawyers for a woman mauled by a chimpanzee in Connecticut have agreed to settle a lawsuit against the estate of the primate's now-dead owner, but there's a dispute over the final details.
Attack victim Charla Nash's family filed the lawsuit in 2009 in state Superior Court seeking $50 million in damages from chimp owner Sandra Herold, who died in 2010. Nash was blinded, lost both hands and underwent a face transplant after being mauled outside Herold's home in Stamford in February 2009.
A court document obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday shows lawyers for Nash's family this week accused lawyers for Herold's estate of failing to provide information needed to complete the settlement. Details of the deal weren't available.
Lawyers in the case didn't immediately return messages Thursday.


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Michael (Mike) Styler has served as executive director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources (DNR) since January 2005. Styler leads an agency of 1,300 employees who are divided among seven divisions: Forestry, Fire and State Lands; Oil, Gas and Mining; State Parks and Recreation; Utah Geological Survey; Water Resources; Water Rights; and Wildlife Resources. In addition to these seven divisions, the Department of Natural Resource administration oversees the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative (WRI) and the Sensitive Species Mitigation program. During his tenure at DNR, Styler has chaired the Executive Water Task Force and has worked to restore healthy landscapes through the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative. He has also increased department efficiency and encouraged inter-divisional partnerships.
Prior to his appointment, Styler served in the Utah House of Representatives where he was elected Assistant Majority Whip. He has also served on the Executive Appropriations Committee, Legislative Management Committee, Legislative Water Task Force (chair), and Natural Resources Appropriations Committee (chair).
Prior to his legislative service, he served for eight years as a Millard County Commissioner and president of the Utah Association of County Commissioners. He also served his farming community as president of the Deseret Irrigation Company.
Styler graduated from Brigham Young University in 1976 with a double major in Agricultural Economics and Business Education. He started purchasing his family farm while teaching U.S. History to eighth grade students at Delta Middle School. The Styler family helped settle Millard County in the 1880s, founding the farming community of Oasis. He still farms, with the help of his son, Stephen, 400 acres of irrigated land near Delta, Utah. Styler commutes to Oasis most summer weekends to tend to his farm, family and church responsibilities.
Among his many interests, Styler loves ice fishing and hunting. His adventures have included hunting bear and moose in Alaska and whitetails in Wyoming. He and his wife have three children and are the proud grandparents of 11 grandchildren.


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According to the Attorney General's office, an injunction was issued on Friday—a fact that Lyft disputes.
Lyft is a San Francisco-based startup that allows its users to book rides from drivers via its smartphone app, effectively acting just like a taxi service. Earlier this year, as Lyft has expanded in various cities across America, the firm has faced fines and citations from numerous jurisdictions for not complying with local taxi law.
The New York Attorney General went to court shortly after the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) said that the firm had "not complied with TLC's safety requirements and other licensing criteria to verify the integrity and qualifications of the drivers or vehicles used in their service, and Lyft does not hold a license to dispatch cars to pick up passengers."
"The judged adjourned to Monday and we agreed to hold our launch," Katie Daily, a Lyft spokeswoman, told Ars. "We are obtaining the court transcript, and we will obtain statements by those in court to show this is a deliberate misstatement by the [Attorney General] and [Department of Financial Services]. There would be no need for a hearing on Monday if a TRO or injunction was granted. As further proof that court was adjourned, the [Attorney General's] insurance claims were never presented and Lyft had no opportunity to respond."Daily did not respond to a direct question as to why Lyft would delay its launch if no such injunction or TRO was issued.
"We will return to court on Monday, to address issues pertaining to Buffalo and Rochester in addition to New York City," Eric Schneiderman, the attorney general, said in the statement. "We pursued this action only after repeatedly offering to work with Lyft in order to ensure that its business practices complied with the law. Instead of collaborating with the State to help square innovation with statute and protect the public, as other technology companies have done as recently as this week, Lyft decided to move ahead and simply ignore state and local laws. Lyft's arguments are a disingenuous attempt to disguise old-fashioned law-breaking that jeopardizes public safety."


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This time I have no excuse. This time I went into the recycle shop with an eye for anything in the US$10-$20 range, specifically to serve as a torrent slave. And this is what I walked out with.
This is an NEC LaVie NX LW30H/6, serial number s98-3089-0: a 300Mhz Mendocino Celeron with a whopping 64Mb of memory, a cramped 4Gb hard drive, CDROM, floppy, PCMCIA ports, stereo sound and best of all, one USB1.1 port. Physical condition is only fair-to-middling, with a lot of physical use, a few stray marks and a missing cushion or two on the bottom. But aside from that, no cracks, broken keys, scratches on the screen or other damage or abuse. If I was still repainting machines this would be a strong candidate.
In case you're interested, or in case you're cruising past this page a decade from now, trying to find out what exactly was in the LW30H/6, here's what I can tell you:
- 298.378Mhz Celeron (Mendocino). I love how accurate /proc/cpuinfo is.
- 64Mb, I assume PC100, but I didn't actually check yet, and I don't know how important it is for me.
- ESS ES1968 Maestro 2 sound card. Sound is a little faint, but laptop speakers always sound rotten, and I didn't buy it for a stereo.
- Floppy drive. You laugh, but that is valuable in this house.
- Hitachi DK238A 4.3Gb hard drive. Small and slow. At least it's not noisy.
- Japanese keyboard, of course. Actually I'm not particularly fond of this one, because it pushes some of the outlying keys (PageUp, PageDown, and so forth) into strange locations. It's a bit cumbersome if you are used to them in specific places.
- Intel 440BX/ZX/DX, which means PIIX4 for ISA, IDE and USB connection.
- NEC CDROM. It works, and that's all I know.
- NeoMagic NM2160 MagicGraph 128XD against a flawless 1024×768 screen. I had to clean through a few layers of grime and fingerprints, but the final results were nice and clear.
- Texas Instruments PCI1221 Cardbus support. Which means I can use the faster PCMCIA wireless card in this, instead of relying on pre-Cardbus hardware, like I do with the Pentium.
Performance-wise, it's nothing to howl about. The drive is slow, the processor is slow, memory is occasionally tight, but other than boot to a desktop and run a background instance of screen-plus-rtorrent, the demands are low. I see no need to put too much effort into this one. This is exactly what I had in mind when I went in the store.
Arch Linux makes it acceptably light and fast, and with the addition of a very lightweight desktop, it's a working-class computer. As you can see I added the old ath5k-based PCMCIA wireless card, which gives it decent download speeds, and the entire graphical desktop, plus nfs and ssh can all run in under 30Mb of memory with a little swap used. Triggering rtorrent and screen-vs over ssh takes care of the actual "work," and all the rest is cake.
I have no rationale for installing a full WindowsXP Classic-ish IceWM desktop, except that it was the quickest way to get the applications in place and see if the graphical arrangement was working. I haven't used anything except Arch on it yet, and to be honest I probably won't. (Actually that's a lie, since I used a Kolibri floppy to see if the drive was working … and it is. 😉 )
That's about all, really. This one is headed straight to the closet, to take over from that half-working Dell 600m I had a few months ago. I came to miss having that access point in the house, as well as a single machine to handle torrent downloading. I will probably supplant the drive with the WD Scorpio, which is just lying around these days. Might as well put it to use, and provided it will start, it'll be good for serving up Ubuntu 10.04, which is due in another 10 days or so. That'll be a good test case. … 😉


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Cort Dougan is Chief Technical Officer at Finite State Research. He can be contacted at [email protected].
Very few sites that use time synchronization systems have tested them. When asked how they know that the software/hardware is doing what is expected the response is usually "the documentation says so" or the "the software itself reports all is ok". There are very few tools available to easily test time synchronization or easily reproduced methods for testing and this is a likely cause for this problem.
Our tests show that NTP, one of the more popular time synchronization systems, exhibits some undesirable behavior including poor tracking of a single time source, significant offset from a desired time for long periods, and erratic "jumps" in time during startup. Running untested time synchronization software is a very dangerous thing since it exposes applications to unpredictable behavior of the system clock. This can be especially dangerous for sites that have external or customer requirements for time synchronization.
All of our tests were run with NTP version 4.2.4p6 on a RedHat Enterprise 5.3 stock installation with Supermicro 64-bit AMD quad-core servers. We used a Garmin GPS 16HVS as an external time reference. This GPS provides a pulse-per-second (PPS) signal. This is a 5v signal from the GPS that is produced every second-to-second transition with +/- 250 nanoseconds accuracy. The PPS line was run from the GPS to the serial port of the computers. This allowed the server and client machines to compute an offset from a common reference each second for an accurate measure of the offset between the clock on each system. This PPS signal was also used as a reference time for the server to synchronize to so that it was able to provide a time that was synchronized to other systems.
The main measurement I present in this article is the difference between the Linux clock (as provided to user programs) and GPS PPS signal on both the server system and client system. These values show how well the synchronization between the client and reference time source is being maintained through the server. To obtain this measurement we wrote a Linux kernel module that isolates one processor of the system and runs in a busy-wait loop looking for the PPS signal from the GPS. Once the signal is seen the Linux system time is noted through a gettimeofday() system call and the offset from the nearest second is calculated. A value of 0.0 seconds shows that the Linux time is exactly in sync with the external signal and the second transitions of the Linux clock are perfectly aligned with the GPS second transitions. If both the server and client show the same offset value then they are perfectly synchronized even though they may be offset from the GPS time. By routing the PPS signal from a single GPS to both the client and server we are able to measure the system time offset from a common reference on multiple systems at the same time.
There was no load placed on the systems used in these tests except where noted. The network was not loaded except where noted and each machine was connected to a Linksys SR2024 gigabit switch. Each test was started with the local system time set one half-second behind a reference time (a remote NTP server) to give each system a reproducible startup scenario and show how each deals with initial setup and starting error.


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Certain soaps used to wash babies shortly after birth may cause the baby to test positive for marijuana on some newborn screening tests, a new study suggests.
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In the study, urine samples that contained minute amounts of any of five baby soaps — Johnson & Johnson's Head-to-Toe Baby Wash, J&J Bedtime Bath, CVS Night-Time Baby Bath, Aveeno Soothing Relief Creamy Wash and Aveeno Wash Shampoo — gave a positive result on a drug screening test for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana.
The researchers began their investigation after nurses at a North Carolina hospital reported an increase in the number of newborns testing positive for marijuana.
The amount of soap in the urine needed to produce a positive test result was tiny, less than 0.1 milliliters, the researchers said.
It's important to note the soaps do not produce a "high," or any other effects of marijuana, in infants. "It's not marijuana a in any way, shape or form," said study researcher Catherine Hammett-Stabler, a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
A screening test that indicates a baby has been exposed to marijuana can lead to the involvement of social services, and accusations of child abuse, the researchers said.
Given these consequences, it's important for health-care providers and laboratory staffs to be aware that these soaps may lead to a positive test for marijuana, and to consider confirming positive tests with a more sensitive method, the researchers said.
"We really did this to help protect families from being falsely accused" of drug use, and to help ensure that intervention efforts are directed to babies who are truly at risk of drug exposure, said study researcher Dr. Carl Seashore, a pediatrician in the newborn nursery at UNC Chapel Hill.
Drug screening tests in hospitals that come back positive are not usually sent out to laboratories for additional conformation, because of the time and cost involved, said study researcher Catherine Hammett-Stabler, also of UNC Chapel Hill.
Newborn screening for exposure to marijuana is common, and is especially recommended for babies born to women considered to be "high risk" for drug use, such as those who do not come in for prenatal care visits, Hammett-Stabler said. At UNC Chapel Hill, 10 to 40 percent of babies born in the hospital receive the test each month, Seashore said.
Why the result?
The researchers aren't sure why the baby soaps cause the marijuana screening test to come back positive. It could be that some of the compounds in the soap have a structure that is partly similar to THC, or it could be that chemicals in the soap change the way the test works, Hammett-Stabler said.
The test is likely showing a positive result because some residual soap on the skin is washing off into the baby's urine sample, Hammett-Stabler said.
When a more sensitive test was used on the urine samples containing the soap, the test came back negative, she said.
Piece of the puzzle
One positive test for marijuana exposure would not likely be enough to get social services involved with the parents, Seashore said.
"It would only be one piece of the puzzle," Seashore said.
Other factors would be taken into account, such as a history of substance abuse or lack of prenatal care, Seashore said.
The UNC Chapel Hill now sends all positive newborn drug urine tests for conformation before any action is taken.
The study, published in the June issue of the journal Clinical Biochemistry, also highlights the importance of collaboration and communication between different units of a hospital, the researchers said.
More from MyHealthNewsDaily:
7 Diseases You Can Learn About From a Genetic Test
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Marijuana Mouth Spray: Will Cancer Pain Reliever Be Abused?
More top health news:
10,000 germ species living on the human body
New colon cancer tests: Do they really work?


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I still can't believe I saw him again at the Movie Awards guys... it was totally worth it. I almost fainted when Andy said his name.
and in the lobby Steve O winked at me. so cool - I wish I saw Jim as close as Steve O, but then I would definitely faint, so I still need time to practice my conscience


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About a half a year ago I was asked to be the God Mother of a beautiful baby girl - Chelsea. I remember I felt very honored and touched that out of all people, my dearest cousin asked me. Thrilled and excited I accepted :) She is a bright shining light in my life and I absolutely love her to bits! :D
So cometh her 1st birthday, I wanted only the biggest and best cake there ever was… thus begins my ultimate journey to make a 3D Winnie the Pooh cake hehehe
Initially I was a little overwhelmed, true to my nature (Queen of Procrastination) I left everything to the last minute…. But to my defence I had another cake order for the same Sat and life always calls at the most inconvenient time.. so what free time I did have was spent on this behemoth project.
The WHOLE of Pooh bear was edible, the head, legs, belly, ears - the lot! I was originally going to carve the head out of Styrofoam (like many other sane cake makers would do), however I couldn't find a styrofoam ball big enough to fit properly so about 2 days before the cake was due I decided to make the head out of cake too!
My choice for the type of cake recipe used was limited because it had to be dense and firm enough to stand upright and be able to withstand my hacking and sculpting away at it. I opted for a pound cake recipe because when you cut it, it still holds its shape, is firm enough not to collapse yet it is still fluffy and tastes awesome! Buttercream was also used for its dense, shape holding properties.
I made 3 x 10 inch round cakes and 2 x 8 inch round cakes for the base/body. In hindsight I should've probably used all 10 inch round cakes.
Pound Cake (1 portion is enough for 2 x 10 inch round tins)
2 cups sugar
2 cups plain flour
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened
5 eggs
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ tsp lemon extract
Preheat oven to 1650C, line 2 x 10 inch round cake tins (or you can use a Bundt cake pan).
Whip butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add all dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda). Then incorporate eggs one at a time. Mix in the extracts.
Bake for 60 minutes or until it springs back to the touch.
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting (I made like 3kgs of this stuff – Ohhh sooo damn good!)
3 cups icing sugar
225g butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp strawberry essence
1 drop red food colouring (optional – I didn't use this because mostly kids would be eating it and I didn't want them eating artificial colourings, lol that was my bit of 'health' awareness)
Beat the butter until light and fluffy.
Gradually add the sugar and whip until smooth. Add essences and colouring (if using).
Used extra fondant to create features like the arms, ears and I built on the face by adding extra fondant where the cheeks and nose were. It was pretty thin where the eyes were so I also added extra fondant there and pushed it back to create hollows like Pooh bear has.
I covered the legs in fondant separately then I stuck it to the body.
So this was what a naked Pooh bear on the day before the party looked like. He was standing up so proud and tall and was just 'perfect'!
The next day when I came back to dress him and add the proper features he had already begun to get 'lazy' and his head was slumping. I was pretty crushed that my cake had done this but I altered my design to suit what was happening. Lucky for me, Pooh is quite lazy and he usually nods off so I thought at least it looks like I 'meant' to do that and if I put a cake infront of him it'll just look like he is leaning forward to eat his cake! lol
The delivery of the cake almost gave me a heart attack. It was a miserably humid yet rainy day. I had the cake on my lap and the destination was about 1 hour away... but wait for it ... we got pulled over by the cops and it turned out that the Log's (brand new) car rego had expired. As a result... I had to wait in the car with the cake whilst he went back to get the other car. I had the aircon on full blast to stop the cake from melting anymore than it had to but as the minutes ticked by, temptation of the strawberry cake was too much for Pooh and he just kept inching closer and closer :S
Alas, we made it in one piece, Pooh got a taste of his cake before the birthday song was sung though lol!
The cake was a hefty 12-15 kgs and approx 35 cm tall.... it was bigger and heavier than Chelsea!!
hahaha look at her face... "mummy I dont want to cut Pooh bear!"


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Home > News & Events > Press Releases
Press Releases
Latest FDIC Consumer News Features Tips for Simplifying Your Financial Life
The Winter 2004/2005 issue of FDIC Consumer News, published by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to offer practical guidance on financial matters, is now available on the Web at www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/news/cnwin0405. It features:
The goal of FDIC Consumer News is to deliver timely, reliable and innovative tips and information, in plain English and free of charge, to help people protect and stretch their money. Current and past issues appear online at www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/news.
The FDIC also offers a free subscription service that provides an e-mail notice about each new issue posted to the Web site and provides a link to stories of interest. Instructions for subscribing are posted on the FDIC Web site at www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.
# # #
Congress created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in 1933 to restore public confidence in the nation's banking system. The FDIC insures deposits at the nation's 8,975 banks and savings associations and it promotes the safety and soundness of these institutions by identifying, monitoring and addressing risks to which they are exposed. The FDIC receives no federal tax dollars insured financial institutions fund its operations.
FDIC press releases and other information are available on the Internet via the World Wide Web at www.fdic.gov and may also be obtained through the FDIC's Public Information Center (877-275-3342 or (703) 562-2200).
|Last Updated 2/24/2005


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Sun May 28, 2017
6:00 pm
Leominster Elks
6:45PM GROUP SWING DANCE LESSON ~ 7:30PM TO 10:30PM LIVE BAND The lesson is free with the $14. Live Band Admission
Dance2Swing dances feature a mix of the best Jump Blues,Rhythm & Blues,Lindy Hop and Big Bands from all over New England. There is always a beginner friendly group Swing Dance Lesson before the Live Band. We say beginner friendly dances because experienced dancers dance with beginners
Event details last verified [lv_date] [event_edit_link class="blue"]Edit this Event[/event_edit_link]


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New Year's Eve already, again. Stepping out through boot-deep snow.
Here on Spring Mountain it's traditional to celebrate the final evening of each calendar year with a good stiff hike, accompanied by whatever hounds are currently at hand and up to the effort. This year, I'm down to Mr. Otis, since Angel dog is 13 and on her last leg and that last leg is lame. While Otis is nine, which in big-dog years makes him a borderline senior like me, he, also like me, still thinks he's a stud. In fact, old Oats frequently wins compliments as a supremely handsome example of the Labrador breed, even in his muzzled grayness. He's been blessed with glossy black hair (recently, a visiting Alaskan trapper friend made my wife Caroline nervous when he stroked Otis appraisingly and remarked on what a "fine pelt" he has), long sturdy legs (Dr. Woody, Otis's personal physician, calls them "mountain legs"), clean white teeth and a broad intelligent head (as opposed to the rat-nosed look of lesser Labs). So why ruin the ruse by revealing that his mother was a Golden Retriever?
Of course, for O and me to take an evening hike together is hardly unique, insofar as he walks me most every evening, the high point of most every day. The high point, at least, when the weather is pleasant and calming, or nasty enough to be exciting because it's scary enough to offer a reminder that nature always bats last: say, a wildly showy electrical storm, wind like a low flight of fighter jets screaming through the trees, a blinding whiteout of blowing snow and swirling frozen fog. Barring any of that during the moody holiday season—deep in the white gut of winter, with its foreshortened days, crackling cold nights, delaying snow and precious little wildlife to animate the scene—a walk in the winter woods can often seem more effort than entertainment.
This New Year's Eve, this final evening of yet another year of our whirlwind lives, we are healthy, happy and celebrating—a boy and his dog striding up this comforting old mountain while ruminating on the past, pondering the future and, with every step and breath, offering active praise for the blessings of the moment. And glory be, after the first hard few minutes and the catching of my increasingly elusive second wind, I sense that this is to be one of those sweet retro intervals when my aging mortal shell, rather than dragging behind and slowing me down, lifts me lightly along, like a buzzard climbing a summer thermal, up and up on a free ride to heaven. Suddenly I am young again, high as a hippie on the pure animal joy of self-powered movement. At least for the moment.
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We climb eagerly on, Otis and I, running occasional short sprints, choosing the steepest routes simply for the sake of their steepness, running uphill in the snow. As we near the top, 9,500 feet above the sultry beaches of southern California and a vertical gain of 1,500 feet from the cabin—with only a few dozen minutes remaining in the day, less than a half dozen hours to go in the year, an unknown number of years left in our lives—a light of impossible beauty laminates the sunset sky. The churning, shifting spectrum of pastels—blue, lavender; purple, pink, red to fiery orange—seems almost sentient, somehow feminine, ineffably alive.
When we finally reach our goal—a rocky point overlooking a snow-covered lake—I stop for a look around. The awesome grandeur of such vertical landscapes makes one feel rightly small. And such feeling-smallness, by exposing the false front of our feeling-bigness, feels real good to me.
Impatient as a puppy, ever the anxious seeker, Otis flashes past, brushing against my snow-dusted pant cuff as if to proclaim, "Look at me, Dad! Here I go!" running in widening circles. On his third counterclockwise circumnavigation, the 80-pound goofball surprises a congerie of ravens, which in their panicked flush startle the hell out of me, as I had neither heard nor seen them there, clustered on the ground behind the low rise to my right. Righteously alarmed, the overgrown crows hurl themselves skyward as one dark body, a flapping black cloud that rises in brief solidarity then flies abruptly apart, like a fistful of scarves flung into the wind.
How I do love ravens! At once the most clever, adaptable and confident of birds and the most joyful heralds of death. Like Otis and me, ravens perceive themselves as far too handsome and wise for their humble lot in life as scroungers, kidnappers of robin chicks and carrion eaters. Yet they, like O and me, don't merely endure but always find ways to enjoy. What most humans view as hardship, ravens see as play. Everywhere good I go, from Alaska to Mexico, ravens are there.
Even so—this late in the day, this deep into winter—these gregarious birds should by now have retreated to their nocturnal roosts to perch on limbs like so many lumpy black leaves, feathers fluffed for warmth, among the sheltering boughs of Douglas fir or ponderosa. Suddenly, it occurs to me that these preeminent scavengers may have been feasting late on a holiday gift of frozen flesh. Dead elk or deer? Dead coyote? Dead …?
Winter: the dying time of year.
I hurry over to investigate. Approaching the spot where the birds had been ganged on the ground I find … nothing.
Who knows? Who gives a flapping croak? Not Otis, who has already whiffed some new and intriguing scent and is off hounding after it, headed conveniently down-mountain, the way we need to go. With twilight fading fast I turn and follow his lead, the prints of my big insulated rubber boots shortcutting Otis's switchbacking slashes in the snow, like a drunken slalom skier. Dogs, like preachers, politicians and real estate whores, never run straight unless they're being chased. But Otis has disappeared, coursing far ahead. Perhaps he's cut the pungent trail of a pine marten, like the one he and Caroline saw on this morning's walk together. In fact, Caroline admitted to having seen the sleek, cat-sized, tree-climbing, rodent-hunting weasel only after Otis had tracked its scent to the base of a tree and his animated excitement, urgent whines, and upward panting stare had lifted her gaze away from its normally grounded fix. While a hunter, like me, peers up and away, scanning the horizon for broken hints of color, pattern or movement, Caroline, a gentle gatherer, focuses closer at foot, stalking wildflowers, mushrooms, animal spoor and other rooted prey. Alone, each of us is half blind. Together, we see near and far.
No matter. Wherever my dog-son has gotten off to, or why, he is out of my sight—an intolerable breach of Petersen doggy etiquette. I refuse to yell, clap or wolf-whistle in the woods, any of which would rudely shatter the tranquility I come here for, disturbing the critters and destroying the very treasures I seek. Instead, I stop and peer around—waiting, watching, straining my ears into the ringing silence for the rhythm of panting breaths, the soft thuds of paws on the snow. I chuckle out loud when I catch myself sniffing the air, as if I were a dog or a bear. This thought, in turn, reminds me of Dersu Uzala, the charismatic wild-man protagonist of Russian explorer V.K. Arseniev's 1910 classic adventure memoir, Dersu the Trapper, a mostly true story beautifully made into the 1975 Academy Award–winning film Dersu Uzala by the Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. Dersu is an aging aborigine of a dwindling hunter-gatherer tribe, the Goldis, who are animistic (nature worshipping) foragers of the Manchurian taiga. The scene I'm recalling takes place one bad winter day while Dersu is out boar hunting with the captain. When Dersu misses an easy shot at an animal he can pungently smell but barely see, the old woodsman wails in pidgin Russian, "Capitan! My nose sees better than my eyes!" in sudden realization that he is going blind.
The point being that that's the way our big boy Otis see his world: nostrils first. Could we dwarf-nosed human animals experience for just one hour the world as a dog, deer or bear perceives it—in shape-shifting layers of Technicolor scents, far more vivid and varied than even the most stunning sunset sky—that brief, epiphanous window of wonder would alter our outlook and actions forever. For all our manipulative cleverness, we really know so little of life.
Growing uneasy with Otis's ongoing absence, if not quite worried (he knows the way home from anywhere up here and would yelp for help if in trouble), I venture a soft, birdlike whistle, poorly imitating the bright spring rondo of a mountain chickadee. Inappropriate though it is for the bottom of December, it will alert Otis, if he hears it, that I am here.
Sure enough, within moments here comes the Oatsmobile, a graceful flowing streak of ink sluicing across the snow, sleek as liquid silk, contouring cross-mountain full-bore: big ears flopping, jaws agape and cheeks flared wide, gums spotted pink and black, long tongue lolling, ivory fangs flashing a delighted canine grin—four score pounds of pure animal joy.
As with the other animals in my life—and my life is peopled with animals—I envy Otis his freedom from burdensome ambition, from debilitating regret, pointless worry and egoistic longing for public recognition and personal immortality. For him, life is now, to be experienced—chased, caught and played with; chewed up and swallowed, digested, and always celebrated—not some Calvinistic adversary to be feared, conquered, intellectualized, rationalized, fantasized or dogmatized.
Panting and pleased with himself—"Here I come, Dad! Such a good boy, me!"—Otis stiff-legs to a stop at my side and raises his snow-frosted mug for a pat. Which of course he gets, plus a kiss on the head and a few soft words of encouragement to Stay with me, knucklehead!
Looking to our left, eastward as we go, light-years beyond the saw-toothed silhouette of the Continental Divide, we see Jupiter come awake: a blinking benediction in blue. At least I think it's Jupiter, not being much on stars (or planets either, obviously). I mean, there are so many of them. And all so far away, untouchable, ultimately unknowable, thus largely removed from my life. "One world at a time," said Thoreau on his deathbed to the hovering preacher. "One real world is enough," echoed Santayana a century later. I feel much the same. Yet how gratefully each night do I greet Orion (a bowhunter, like me), who at the moment, still hidden below the horizon, is gearing up with bow and dagger for another night's go-around with that ballsy old aurochs (a Taurus, like me), the two of them battling clockwise across the nocturnal firmament. Forever.
Shaking me from my reveries, Otis suddenly stops, goes stiff-legged, raises his muzzle, sniffs and licks his slobbery chops—tasting some delicious promise that's as yet invisible to me. Explaining himself with an excited Whoof! he deserts me and bounds ahead, barreling down the hill. Following quickly after, I, too, soon smell the spicy incense of aspen smoke, perfuming the lucent night.
Almost home.
Excerpted from On the Wild Edge: In Search of a Natural Life © 2005 David Petersen, published by Henry Holt and Company. Reprinted with permission.


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Virtual Worlds - I love them. Ever since I read Snow Crash in 1992 I was obsessed. When Second Life came around I signed right up. For a while I was a content creator in world, building, texturing, scripting, sculpting and more. I made real money from my work in Second Life and I found the work I did there enhanced my skills overall as an artist. For an artist the ability to interact with my creations was addictive and immensely satisfying.
Then at some point during the various regime changes over at Second Life the in-world economy and social atmosphere seemed to radically change. Land prices increased while sales went down. Two things that to a part time builder such as myself made maintaining SL as a hobby rather difficult. I kept an eye on the Virtual World options that were cropping up over the years, anxious to find a substitute with better pricing, updated technology but with that feeling we had in the early days of Second Life. We were pixel revolutionaries, virtual pioneers working together to create something special.
I'm happy to say I feel I finally found my new home in a Virtual Worlds company called Kitely.
While originally based on OpenSim technology for virtual worlds, Kitely has added their own optimizations which makes their user experience low lag. (Something that is the bane of every avatar in Second Life's existence)
Kitely also takes a unique approach to pricing. Recognizing that while Second Life might be free to play - that's only because the content creators and landowners are footing that bill for everyone with the large fees they pay monthly for basically, the privilege of entertaining and providing content for everyone with free accounts.
Kitely's basic account includes a free island, that's right a free virtual world of your own. This is a feature that is unbelievable to me when compared to Second Life's $300.00 a month fee for owning the same amount of pixel property on their servers. Free land also encourages commerce in Kitely. After all, all that empty space needs to be filled with something.
With weekly meetings open to the public Kitely has an open and transparent management model that reminds me of the early days of SL. Of course they also have community forums and an active blog. But, one of the many things that separates Kitely from all the other virtual worlds currently offering themselves as Second Life alternatives, is the level of professionalism. This is a real company, run by a dedicated staff that is serious about what they do. Kitely has all the signs of being up for the job and around for a long time. (As opposed to a myriad of other virtual worlds and open sim projects that seem run by a staff more focused on gossip and cliques then professionalism. Worse some have shut down taking their customers money with them.)
I recently caught up with Ilan Tochner, co-founder and CEO of Kitely and he was good enough to share some detailed information with me regarding Kitely's present, and its future.
__GeekMom: Can you explain a little in layman's terms why the way Kitely works is better than other virtual worlds? __
Ilan Tochner: Most virtual worlds stay up 24/7, even if there's no one in them. This is very wasteful due to the cost of keeping the servers running. At Kitely we provide virtual worlds on demand: our servers run in the cloud, and we only start them when someone enters a virtual world. This gives us several major benefits: first, our costs are low, and we pass on these cost savings to our customers. Second, we allow creating many unique virtual worlds. For example, some of our customers are teachers and they let each of their students create their own virtual world. This would be impossible with traditional always-on worlds. Third, we give each virtual world a lot of resources so that it runs with great performance whenever it's active. And finally, we don't use unnecessary resources, thus helping to save the planet :)
Our virtual worlds are based on a standard technology called OpenSim. However, we have added many proprietary optimizations which makes our version faster and more feature-rich than standard OpenSim. For example, we replaced OpenSim's inventory and asset services with our own cloud-based systems, which improve performance significantly. We also added a feature called Advanced Megaregions, which allows creating very large virtual worlds that have no lag when moving between different regions (parts) of the world.
Our website has a very easy-to-use user interface, so it takes just minutes to create your first world. Due to the on-demand nature of our system you can easily create worlds at any time: there are no setup costs or delays.
__GM: What exciting new upcoming features will Kitely be implementing soon? __
IT: We are now working on a marketplace for virtual items such as clothes, buildings, and objects that can be placed in virtual worlds. We're very excited about this project because it will make it extremely easy to buy and sell items. We looked at existing virtual-world marketplaces when we designed our market, and we found that they're very limited in functionality and often lack many of the features that big e-commerce sites such as Amazon have. This makes it slow and difficult to find items. Our market will make it easy to find items using features such as attributes and full-text search, and it will be fast and beautiful. We've already got some well-known content creators that are preparing items to sell in this marketplace.
GM: What kind of monetization plans do you have for the future?
IT: We plan to open the Kitely Market in June. Once that happens you'll be able to sell digital goods to other Kitely users. Afterwards we intend to open the market to users of other virtual worlds as well. Our sellers will have the choice of selling their content using either our virtual currency (Kitely Credits), which can be used only inside our service, or using real money which will be deposited to their PayPal account automatically.
We're currently offering a promotion for content creators who upload content to the upcoming marketplace before it opens; for more information see our Virtual Worlds Market early-bird promotion.
GM: Kitely seems kid friendly. Is this by design?
IT: We had decided early on to make sure that kids can use Kitely safely, without being subjected to the adult content that is common in most virtual worlds that support user-generated content. Each user and virtual world have a maturity rating, and we don't allow users to see virtual worlds that aren't appropriate for them. This means that kids will only see kid-friendly virtual worlds. We have simple tools on our website that let you choose who may enter the worlds that you create.
To set your child's maturity rating, login to their account; go to the Settings page; and attempt to change the account's maturity rating to Adult. This won't actually succeed: you will be asked to enter your child's date of birth, and when the date of birth shows that your child is under 13 they will be locked into the "General" maturity rating. This maturity rating can't be changed by them later (it can only be changed by contacting us).


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News about healthcare and medicine in China | An independent site by Michael Woodhead
Tuesday, 20 November 2012
University of Cincinnati may open medical school in Chongqing
The University of Cincinnati has been in talks with Chinese officials about adding a medical school campus in China in conjunction with Chongqing Medical University.
College of Medicine Dean Tom Boat recently updated university trustees about the discussions.
Tens of millions of dollars would be needed in donations to make the UC campus a reality, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported. But supporters point to the potential for new growth and revenue in the world's largest nation by population.
"It would allow us to have an international connection with China that would really push our globalization efforts forward," Boat told professors and students last week.
China is the leading source for international students for UC, with 962 Chinese students enrolled this year. The university already has a number of collaboration and project agreements in China.
Boat emphasized the plans are in very early stages with Chongqing Medical University, which has four hospitals with 5,000 beds and treats millions of outpatients annually.
"If the plan plays out, yes, it would be a UC-branded campus," Boat said.
Duke University, in Durham, N.C., has moved ahead with its plans for a China campus in partnership with Chinese educators. Duke Kunshan University operations are currently expected to begin in the 2013-14 academic year, pending final approval from Chinese officials.
UC's College of Medicine could use another source of revenue. The medical school lost $7 million on operating costs, while receiving a $10 million one-time payment from Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Medical Center.
UC gave out $2.66 million in institutional aid to medical students in the 2010-11 school year, compared to $5.8 million by Ohio State University, the Cincinnati newspaper reported.
Read more: Newsday
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text: Check it out guys. I made my own hone. The handle is one I just had lying around, and the hone is the ceramic filament from one of the giant light bulbs they are phasing out down in the machine shop at work. The little end cap is shipping protector from an autoclave fitting. The cool thing is that it works really well, as good as or better than any other hone I have used.


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"A MINIMALISTIC CINEMATIC EXPERIMENTAL DARK POP TRIP. After the highly respected debut full length "Without the World" and her first European tour in 2011 BIRDS OF PASSAGE ("the new rising star of experimental minimalistic dark pop") from New Zealand now is back with her second act. It's a cinematic concept album she recorded together with LEONARDO ROSADO from Portugal. "DEAR AND UNFAMILIAR is a technicolor soundtrack that traces a vivid path through darkened desolate dunes. Stories of forgotten tragedies and unrequited love liberate the journeyman from reveries of misery and guide the wanderer through contrasting landscapes of dysphoria and ecstasy." Mastered by NILS FRAHM. Artwork done again by BRUNO MERZ. The album should equally please fans of COCTEAU TWINS, PORTISHEAD as those of JONSI & ALEX or ZOLA JESUS.
Fortunately Alicia currently already works on her next solo full length and a single which will feature a long collaboration track with AIDAN BAKER (NADJA, INFINITE LIGHT LTD.) - the atmospheric journey will continue soonish."


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You just have to love him! Wolfgang Amadé Mozart (1756-1791), the composer of The Magic Flute and Eine kleine Nachtmusik. Mozart took Viennese Classicism to its height and wrote some of the most delightful melodies in the history of music.
Mozart is often described as an Austrian composer because he was born in Salzburg and spent a long time in Vienna, but he wouldn't have seen things like that. Salzburg only fell to Austria because of Napoleon (after Mozart's death).
Mozart's father Leopold originally came from Augsburg. Augsburg was also the home of Mozart's cousin Marianne (his 'Bäsle'), with whom Wolfgang was very close friends. The museum in the Mozart House on Frauentorstrasse in Augsburg traces the history of the musical Mozart (originally Motzhardt) family. Mozart's great-great-grandfather David bought the house for his family back in 1635.
Wolfgang was a musical prodigy who toured half of Europe. He first visited Mannheim, the 'composer's paradise', at the age of seven. The Mannheim School became an important precursor of Viennese Classicism. In Mannheim in 1778 Mozart met his future wife Constanze, a cousin of the Romantic composer Carl Maria von Weber.
When the Elector of Mannheim succeeded to the Bavarian throne in 1778, he moved his court to Munich. He commissioned Mozart to compose the opera Idomeneo for the 1781 Munich carnival; it was premiered at the Cuvilliés Theatre. There is a plaque commemorating the event on Altenhofstrasse in Munich's old quarter.
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Thank You Flowers and Gifts in Webster
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This exotic-flavored chicken curry provides three fruit and veggie servings.
Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 30 mins
Yield: 4 x chicken breast servings
In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Sauté chicken 3 minutes or until nearly done; remove from pan.
Heat remaining oil in skillet; sauté carrots, bell pepper, onion, and garlic for 5 minutes or until carrots are nearly tender.
Add chicken back to skillet with feijoas, curry powder, salt, allspice, and black pepper. Stir cornstarch into chicken broth; pour into skillet with chicken mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 20 minutes.
Serve with rice, if desired.
Serving suggestion is not included in the nutritional analysis.


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A step up in size, the Contest 57CS is the first in line with double cockpit for helm and guests, a labour saving mainsheet and optional fold-down stern bathing platform. There's a true sense of the big boat yet she sails with the natural touch for which Contest Yachts are so renowned. Sound design, sound engineering, together delivering enviable performance.
To suit wide ranging sailing intent, this nimble bluewater design offers various interior plans with two heads and two, three and even four sleeping cabins. Pretty much anything can be changed. She was the first Contest fully 3D modelled and the spatial study has optimised systems and stowage throughout allowing this flexible configuration.
A full beam lazarette and standing headroom sail locker in the bow serve the distance cruiser well and, beyond this, weight has been kept out of the ends with technical gear focused towards the centre of the boat. Good for stability and for service. Also for noise and vibration control, including a generator mounted atop the engine.
The Contest 57CS is also the first in line to have a cabin plan suited to permanent crew should the wish list include additional help or the potential to charter.


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Production is currently underway overseas on the fifth installment in the Die Hard franchise, A Good Day to Die Hard, and some video from the Budapest set has surfaced giving us a brief look at a bloodied Bruce Willis. Directed by John Moore, the film finds Willis' John McClane reconnecting with his estranged son (Jai Courtney) in Russia while the two become decidedly unwelcome in the country. The bloodied Willis looks incredibly familiar in the video, but we also get a short look at a sequence involving a helicopter, firefighters, and a bellhop for some reason.
Hit the jump to check out the video. A Good Day to Die Hard opens on February 14th, 2013.
Video courtesy of MovieZine (via CinemaBlend):


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SUPERSEDED (click for Active standard)
Active (view current version of standard)
Work Item(s) - proposed revisions of this standard
1. Scope
1.1 This terminology standard covers terms that relate to the durability testing of Nonmetallic Materials using natural and artificial weathering exposure techniques.
1.2 It is the intent of this terminology standard to include those weathering terms in wide use in ASTM for which standard definitions appear desirable.
2. Referenced Documents (purchase separately) The documents listed below are referenced within the subject standard but are not provided as part of the standard.
ANSI StandardsANSI/NCSL Z540-2-1997 American National Standard for Expressing UncertaintyU.S. Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement ISO 9370 Plastics -- Instrumental Determination of Radiant Exposure in Weathering Tests -- General Guidance and Basic Test Method
ASTM Standards
D9 Terminology Relating to Wood and Wood-Based Products
D4023 Terminology Relating to Humidity Measurements
E41 Terminology Relating To Conditioning
E772 Terminology of Solar Energy Conversion
E973 Test Method for Determination of the Spectral Mismatch Parameter Between a Photovoltaic Device and a Photovoltaic Reference Cell
G84 Practice for Measurement of Time-of-Wetness on Surfaces Exposed to Wetting Conditions as in Atmospheric Corrosion Testing
G90 Practice for Performing Accelerated Outdoor Weathering of Nonmetallic Materials Using Concentrated Natural Sunlight
G201 Practice for Conducting Exposures in Outdoor Glass-Covered Exposure Apparatus with Air Circulation
ICS Code
ICS Number Code 01.040.77 (Metallurgy (Vocabularies)); 77.040.99 (Other methods of testing metals)
UNSPSC Code
UNSPSC Code
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Citation Format
ASTM G113-05, Standard Terminology Relating to Natural and Artificial Weathering Tests of Nonmetallic Materials, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2005, www.astm.orgBack to Top


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Thorfinn Kiff
Nawen of the Fairy Gardens
Winners, make sure you track me down for something nice!
Such a tough choice, I adore them all!
Thaylis ~ Always the perfect gentleman
I judged my final choices by a well-known metric of role-playing excellence. This framework is based on the principles of consistency, realness, engagement, and presence. The nominations with the most CRAP are Fellock and Ony 'Sea Shrimper' Bibi. Birds and bums, folks.
Ariana wins my vote hands down... For the skill and consistency of her RP, and her continuous character growth, and exceptional portrayal of love and loss and loyalty, leading for years up to those last moments in Helbyssia and impressively, beyond. I cannot praise her enough.
Fellock amazes me day in and day out, and keeps me laughing so hard!
It's been amazing to watch Nawen 2.0-- she's such a cool character, and absolutely mosh pit inspiring!
Thorfinn Kiff ~ Everyone's best friend. Even if he doesn't want to be their friend.
Fellock is by far that player's best work. Consistently hilarious.
Kassha is Kassha.
Kingsley: Come on its Kingsley, what more needs to be said! But if one could say something, maybe it would something like this...? Fun character and always a laugh when Kingsley is around. Always fun RPing to be had. Great interaction to be had with ...Everyone!
Fellock annoys my character, but entertains me. That's a great combination.
Thienna deserves a huge vote. Her consistent quality roleplay and her in depth and detailed knowledge of ongoing IG events can't be denied.
Nawen. Her ever present flutter, bounce, and quick tongue guarantee's an enjoyable time. I've enjoyed traveling with and getting to know more about this red-haired elf since her return.
The Bards of Avlis. You guys rock, all of you. The IG songs you've come up with this last year is amazing. Keep up the great work.
I've got to give a shout out to everyone's favorite pirate, Ony.
It's been a pleasure to watch Elradra's character development as she slowly slides into corruption.
Stone the crows! Fellock is a magnificent feathered bastard. Stay sassy.
Fletcher' you're a svelte costume wearing party animal who'll will put on (or indeed take off) anything to win.
Adylwyn is the cheese to my pc's chalk. The sugar to my salt. the wind beneath my sourpuss's wings.
Thaylis is a dollup of fun for RP, often overlooked but never forgotten. Like a jar of mayo in a sandwich essentially
Nawen, two words. Trade. Fair.
I think Chasman is an excellent role-player and his characters all have a different personality to them. If he's online, I know I will have fun tonight!
I think also Fellock, it's my first time this year being around this PC and he is one of my fav's... Great character, great roleplayer.
Honorary mention for all the LOVELY BARDS we had this year. Wonderful stuff!
Fellock- The first time I met him I was amazed at his quick wit and well delivered character. Hopefully he'll be able to like kittens in the new year.
Ariana, her kindness and sly underhandedness is wonderful to watch. She adds an element of surprise and wonder when she speaks.
Tulip ~ There not enough words to describe what Tulip has create on the world with her always delightful ways. Not to mention cuddle time with Flufficus.
Elainee ~ Everyone naughty when Elainee about. She like a magnet that draws it out to the surface.
Fellock Dust Feather ~ His name became a verb, adjective, adverb, pronoun, and metaphor.
Fletcher Millstone ~ The Mayor of Zvidureth. Next year Mayor of Everything else but the 'Elf Gate'.
Frannie Mouze ~ There are a lot of bards now and I think that is due in part to Frannie. She is the bardic revival of Avlis.
Its a hard choice, but this year for me has to be Thorfinn. I see a lot of what happens when most do not, and the man is a sterling example of what you can achieve, if you are good enough at it.
Leader of the Elven Religion/Not an Elf = Awesome. Oh, and thanks for helping out saving the world.. Again.
Fellock : So very quick of wit and plays the character as well as could be done. I can almost see him now, running down my driveway being chased by my cats.
I vote for Geris Grey, the ultimate evil badass and a whole world more. Geris, you sonofabitch, I hope Aarliax has his serpenty way with you. RIP.
Fellock, what can I say, I couldn't possibly vote for anyone else. This PC has had me in fits of laughter no matter if I DM or am a player. Every experience is an enjoyable one, his fear and excitment about cookies. I could muse all day!
Finn. I raise my goat mug to the hero Avlis needs, but probably doesn't deserve. I love the way Finn thinks and acts when things get nasty, fighting with unshakeable faith and determination, and sticking to his values with an impressively clear head. When the heart is known, etc etc. Finn was fantastic this year, for reasons I dare not state here, and as an aside, he's been one of the biggest influences on Geris (rip) since like 2009? Thanks for the good (and bad haha) times
The player behind Fellock is an amazing rp'er. Fellock is such a fun, sweet, craizy and deadly kenku...though you would never make him admit it. One never get bored in his presence.
Thaylis Beign ~ The stalker. A simple joke that turned into a whole new level of RP not just between Nawen and Thaylis but most of the world.
If I thought paladins were boring, I was wrong. I love hang around Adalwyn! He often makes me laugh and especially with comments about "Brother Slate". His effort in doing the heroic and rightful things are so much fun to watch - especially when he sometimes picks the worst time to do so.
Elradra. Well, really for ELradra's Player. You have so many PC's that you play uniquely, its really impressive.
I've enjoyed Fellock since his very first appearance and still look forward to seeing him every time I log in, unique and just so frenetic.
Adalwyn gets my vote for simply finding a way to not lose his little paladin mind while loitering in zvidureth
Elainee has provided me with opportunities for character development with multiple characters, constantly shows depth and dynamic, and really brings the character to life.
Fellock puts so much into the game. An absolute blast and always fun! Fellock's presence means we're going to have a good time, no matter what. I even say Huzzah! in real life now. Dang it.
Moar Kassha please !
Kassha Fireheart ~ Best princess in the land. Just a shame he doesn't bring his tea parties outside for all to enjoy.
Kingsley ~ Always a constant and lovely RP. Even if he is hitting on everything in sight and I don't mean with his 'sword'.
Ony 'Sea Shrimper' Bibi ~ Sign me up for your crew Captain!
When Fellock is around, the odds are pretty good that I'm sitting laughing my ass off. Well played. Well Played.
Adalwyn ~ The alter boy of Zvid
Ariana - Been through hell in a hand basket this year. Took my puppet from not caring about her to becoming one of her best friends. Amazing RP and so interpersonal to world it shows her true connection to what touches her.
Ath brings a fresh Verossian perspective to the forest. Always a treat having him around.
I raise my corn muffins to Felloks insatiable cowardly appetite.
I had no idea Tulips could be so sweet and Avenging until I met one.
In a world of mighty heroes, powerful magic, and overly-aggressive auto attack systems it's hard to play a cowardly character. Thank you Fellock for fighting against everything to encourage everyone else to run when sane, rational beings probably should.
Adalwyn is probably my favorite clueless person to watch since Forest Gump. He's probably the best awkward teenager I've seen since high school too!
From his earliest appearances as a shady character disavowing knowledge of all kinds of petty crimes (which inevitably led to him being implicated), to his later evolution as a scaredy-cat dancin' fool with a sweet tooth, Fellock has been the standout character of the year. Honestly, how could it NOT be Fellock?!? I've thoroughly enjoyed playing second banana to him. Great character, outstanding roleplayer. Everything's just a bit more fun when Fellock's around!
Glorandrea: A nice sweet and great character and always a good time RPing. And another crafting addict for Avlis, whom just wishes to help others become crafting addicts. So how helpful is that! I think most people underrate her, but that's ok, as that does not change what kind of character she is.
Honoury Mention to Geris Grey. Damn. Just daaayyyuuum. RIP
Everyone character nominated is an RP giant. Just getting to RP with them daily makes me better at it and opens the world up more and more to me. They are all winners in my book. 2016 has been an awesome year for RPing. Bring on 2017!


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On The Day...
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Please note: There is small admission charge for supporters (approximately £1.50 per person).
Photography or filming from any device is prohibited throughout the competition. We appreciate your cooperation in this matter.
We look forward to seeing you all.


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